Mulberry Rhubarb Crisp made gluten free!

The tartness of rhubarb combined with the gorgeous dark purple color of mulberries makes a stunning summer dessert that not only looks beautiful, it tastes fabulous. Topped with a buttery brown sugar oat crumble, when served warm with a scoop of ice cream on top, this mulberry rhubarb crisp tastes so rich and decadent! The other beautiful thing about this easy summer dessert is that it is completely gluten free.

Of course, you don’t HAVE to make this recipe gluten free. But if you are gluten intolerant or have loved ones in your life that suffer when they eat gluten, you’re set. I just happened to run out of whole wheat flour, so I started digging to see what else I had in my pantry and found some brown rice flour. So I decided to give it a whirl and it works like a charm!

Rhubarb Crisp Variations

I adore crisps of all kind, but most especially rhubarb crisp. I’ve made soooo many different variations over the years, starting with my mother’s Royal Rhubarb Crisp. Mom always put mandarin oranges in the rhubarb crisp when we were growing up. And my sisters and I absolutely adored it. When I had kids, I made them mom’s Royal Rhubarb Crisp too. But then we started branching out and adding other fruits. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Then Apple Cherry Rhubarb Crisp. Finally, there was Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp.

Each of these variations has its own charm. I’m not sure why I never thought to put mulberries in my rhubarb crisp before. We’ve got a huge mulberry tree in our back yard that makes probably millions of mulberries every year. The birds, deer, squirrels and other critters gather there every year to feast on them. I laugh at how angry the birds get when I go out to pick some. There are plenty for all of us, little birds!

Why mulberries?

I hear that people in this area shun mulberry trees because they’re messy, but you know what? All fruit trees are messy. I encourage mulberry trees to grow in my yard because:

1. the berries are delicious and beautiful
2. they feed the wildlife
3. they’re good for you!

Did you know that mulberries are considered a super food? Because they’re loaded with antioxidants and phenolic acids and also a good source of iron, vitamin C and fiber, mulberries help with everything from cancer to diabetes to cholesterol and gut health. And they’re good for your brain and eyes as well!

Also, did you know that mulberry leaves are the only leaves that silkworms eat? Not only that, but like all trees, mulberry trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air, so they help with climate change.

That said, if you don’t have a good source of mulberries, you can always substitute other fruit! Blueberries or blackberries would both provide a similarly vibrant purple color.

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